


Just What I Needed

by Izupie



Category: Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Comfort/Angst, F/M, Fluff, Post Rin-is-a-demon reveal, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 06:36:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13698906
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izupie/pseuds/Izupie
Summary: Shiemi is concerned to see Rin so down about the mistrust the other ex-wires are showing him, as it just isn't like him at all, and builds up the courage to explain just how much she really thinks of him. Afterall, he gave her just what she needed. Her whole life.





	Just What I Needed

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on FF.net, but it's had a polish and revamp before being published here.
> 
> I love these two together - so pure.

It wasn't right. It just wasn't right. Seeing Rin so doubtful and unsure about himself just didn't sit well with Shiemi, because he was always someone that was so full of life and confidence. She couldn't understand why the others didn't see that he was the exact same Rin as always, whether he was a demon or not. It hadn't been long since he'd revealed his true lineage to them all, and the other cram school students were still acting strangely around the Okumura twins, Rin especially. They were struggling to be around him. She saw the hostile and suspicious looks they would flash at him when his back was turned. And it just wasn’t right! She knew they all had a reason to hate Satan, but to push that hate onto Rin wasn't fair. Despite his attempts to remain positive and ignore the coldness she could see spreading through their friendships, it was clear to her that it was beginning to wear down his optimism and energy.

Shiemi’s eyebrows drew together in a silent angry line at the wrongness of it all. There he was helping her with her gardening as usual; sleeves pushed up, dirt crusted hands, sweat glistening on his forehead, turning fresh earth over with a pitchfork. He didn’t deserve any of this injustice and hatred - nobody chose who to be born to, but they do choose what to do with their own life. And Rin was a hero.

With that thought pulsing through her, Shiemi put down her trowel and marched over to him. Rin looked up in surprise, halfway through turning more earth over with his pitchfork.

“Uh, you okay Shiemi?”

"I - I know that things are hard right now, Rin,” Shiemi decared, “but they'll come around, I know they will."

He blinked. "Maybe I don't deserve it," he shrugged with a sad smile.

Shiemi shook her head violently. "No, don't say things like that! It's weird when you say things like that. You - you're.... You're a wonderful person, Rin, and everyone will see it too!" She clenched her hands by her side, wishing she could voice how she felt, but was not able to find the words or the courage. She couldn’t let him fall into such a sad way of thinking. He had to know that he had her support regardless of who or what he was. Demon... Human... It wasn’t important. He had a brave, kind heart! He was Rin. “You...” She began more timidly.

Rin stabbed the pitchfork securely into the ground and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a clean bit of his arm. “Hey, don’t worry about me,” he said with a grin Shiemi knew was forced, “I kinda knew this would happen if everyone found out about me. Satan -” his expression darkened, “- Satan’s nothing but a bastard monster. A lot of people are angry over what he’s done.”

“But that doesn’t mean they get the right to be angry at you!” Shiemi pressed loudly, trying not to let Rin’s shock at her outburst bring her innate shyness back - she had to keep going. “You know....” her voice softened, “it's thanks to you that I'm even alive right now. And I don't just mean because you saved my life a whole bunch of times either." Shiemi smiled, but it was an expression full of sad memories and regret. "Shiemi Moriyama was a girl with nothing. She was a small timid girl that had lost her grandmother, the only person who ever really understood her, and it was all her fault. She didn't speak to her mother, she had no friends, she'd never been to a birthday party, or thought about boys, and then she couldn't even walk because she'd sold her soul to a demon."

Shiemi could feel tears burning at the backs of her eyes but clenched her fists tighter in an effort to not let those lonely shameful tears fall. "But then you crashed into my life Rin. You broke that demon warding gate and scared me half to death." Shiemi laughed and affection lightened her heart and voice, "Even though I always suspected you were a demon, even after you told me you weren't, you helped me with my flowers and you were the first person since my grandmother who really seemed to hear me, so I never minded. I thought that maybe you were a nice demon and wanted to keep it a secret, so I stayed quiet. Turns out I was right, huh?"

"Shiemi -” Rin started, eyes wide.

"What I'm trying to say,” she interrupted with uncharacteristic boldness, gazing straight into his blue, blue eyes, “is that without you I would still be that girl with nothing, wasting away in that empty garden until I _became_ nothing too. You made me want all the things I never had. You made me realise it was okay to want to live. You gave this life to me and I will never stop being grateful for your kindness and your courage. The others are just caught up in their hurt right now to see what a great person you are, Rin.” The words wouldn’t stop tumbling out and Shiemi took a gulp of air and took a step forward, caught up in getting her earnest words to reach him. Rin seemed frozen in place, eyes still wide, mouth open as if he didn’t know what to say. “We’ll wait for them to sort through their pain and remember their friendship again together okay? It will happen - I just know it. You’re still Rin. You -” Shiemi's speech was cut short as Rin closed the distance between them in one heartbeat and pulled her into a tight embrace. She squeaked in surprise, but he only held her even tighter, so she wound her arms around him too, and they both clung to each other as the tears Shiemi had been desperately holding back ran unrestrained down her cheeks and into the front of Rin's shirt.

For a moment they both stood in her garden, holding each other. Tamer and Demon. Girl and Boy.

She didn’t need any more words, and he didn’t need to say any - this was a reaction of her feelings reaching him, and the warmth she felt in her heart was his reaching her. She smiled widely into his chest, breathing in the smell of him (something like burnt charcoal) and only noticed the blue flames surrounding them both when she pulled back slightly to wipe her eyes, his hands still on the small of her back.

Rin then noticed the bright blue fire dancing across both of their bodies and concern and panic flashed in his eyes as he jerked his arms away from her, taking a step back, “Ah! - I’m sorry - Shit - I’m supposed to have better control than that. You okay?” He fretted.

Shiemi wasn’t prepared for him to jump away so suddenly so her grip didn’t tighten in time to keep him there. The flames left her body as soon as he lost contact with her, and she missed the warmth immediately. It was a curious kind of sensation that she could feel on her skin, but even deeper than that too; warm, protective, caring kind of feelings.

“Of course I’m okay,” she said gently, tilting her head to the side, “they’re your flames, Rin. They’re you.” The flames on Rin grew brighter in response, and he turned away to try and hide the red she could see blooming onto his cheeks, though his tail gave his embarrassment away anyway, swishing rapidly behind him.

“Uh -”  Rin almost squeaked, cleared his throat and tried again, “I - I accepted these powers myself, I took them on and everything that came with it, so I knew that people would hate me when they found out, and I accepted that friendship wasn’t for someone like me anymore. I lied to everyone and the blue flames are just a sign of true evil.” His eyes flicked back and forth to the garden and her face. “But when I’m with you, I don’t worry about that stuff.” Rin sighed and smiled, staring straight at her, “When I’m with you I feel comfortable being a demon - being who I really am, y’know? You gave _me_ strength when I lost control of my powers, loads of times! You - You’re the one that saved _me,_ Shiemi, not the other way ‘round. You’re the strong one. Argh, I’m not good at this mushy stuff.” His tail swished more rapidly, and he rubbed a hand over his face.

Shiemi reached her hands out and entwined her fingers with his, the flames swooshing over her as soon as they resumed contact. She was crying even harder, but they were the happiest tears she’d ever shed, so she let them fall. “Then let’s keep going together and find strength in each other okay?” Her voice wobbled through the tears.

Rin grinned and pulled her into another hug.

_Thank you._


End file.
